The Guardian
by iCandi-18
Summary: Lucifer's out and now Sam has left. Dean searches for him for months, but Sam has managed to shake him off. But just as Dean is ready to admit defeat, the big guy upstairs sends Dean a gift. His secret weapon. Set after "Lucifer Rising" S4. NO WINCEST
1. Assignment

This is my first ever Fic so don't hate on me, ok. If you like it then you must be as weird as me, so, yay, join the club!

Disclaimer: Nothing Supernatural belongs to me. Nothing!

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

**The Assignment**

***-*-*-***

She stood in the cold, silent street. The air hung eerily around her. She breathed in the icy atmosphere, eyes ever searching the dark, deserted streetscape. Behind her there was a small fluttering sound.

"Castiel" She let the word tumble softly from her frozen lips as she spun around to face a man.

"Hello Charlotte"

As the man spoke his face remained emotionless. A slight breeze ruffled his tan trench coat, yet he stood still against the cold. He stared into her intense hazel green eyes as he spoke again.

"He was pleased with how your last job went, but now you have another assignment that is far more important"

A wicked smile flickered across her face "I love how you get straight down to business, Cas."

"This is serious, Charlotte." He said, unsmiling "_He_ asked for you especially"

The smile dissolved and her eyes widened as Castiel handed her a big yellow envelope. She took it from him cautiously without dropping her gaze.

"_He _asked for _me_! _God_! Asked specifically for _me_!"

"Yes" The angel stated flatly, looking casually down the street. He started walking away, stopping when she spoke again.

"It's a profile." She looked at Castiel puzzled "What the_ hell _am I supposed to do with this?"

"The person who is described in the profile is your next assignment"

Charlotte studied his face carefully "So, you want me too kill them?"

"No, we want you to watch over them," He answered, "We want you to be their guardian"

"What?! Don't you have guardian angels that do this kind of thing?" Her voice became raspy and she took a step towards Castiel, "Why me?"

The angel looked at her then turned his head to look down the street again.

"Guardian angels are known for being heavy-handed and interfering, _He_ wanted a more softer touch."

Charlotte closed her eyes and tilted her head upward thinking about what Castiel had said. She kept her eyes shut as she spoke "So, do I just follow them around?" When there was no reply, she looked to where the angel had stood, but he had vanished into the night. She sighed angrily and looked down at the envelope. There on the front, typed in small print read:

**_D. Winchester_**


	2. Rude Awakening

Sorry about Chapter One, it accidently cut of the last word. It said "Dean Winchester", by the way. Opps!

Hope you like this chapter though.

Disclamer: I own nothing! I want to, but I don't!

**-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------**

**Chapter Two: Rude Awakening**

***-*-*-***

_Sam was holding him tight around the throat. Dean thrashed as he tried to break free of his brother's monstrous grip._

"_Sammy" Dean choked, looking into Sam's eyes as he watched them go from a familiar hazel to a deep, murky black. "Sammy, don't do this."_

"_Why?" Sam hissed, "Why should I stop?"_

"_Because I'm your brother, Sam. Because this isn't you."_

_An evil smile formed on Sam's lips, as he tightened his grip on Dean. "And who are you to say this isn't me? I've changed, Dean and so have you."_

_Dean's brow lowered as he thought over Sam's words. It was crushing him inside to see his little brother turn into this angry, violent monster. Where was the old Sam? The bright, ambitious boy who he watched over for so long. Where was he? He locked eyes with Sam and spoke in the strongest voice he could muster "Yes, I have changed. I changed for you" His voice faltered a little "I changed for you, Sammy. To _save_ you."_

"_Save me?" Sam questioned, "From who?"_

_Dean looked sorrowful as blood started to drip from his mouth, eyes holding back tears "From you, Sammy. From yourself."_

_Hazel flickered momentarily across the youngest's eyes, and then his fingers closed tighter, completely cutting of Dean's air supply. Dean made violent gasping noises, as his eyes glazed over. He was dying, but that didn't scare him. The fact that his little brother was the cause of it, that frightened the hell out of him. Suddenly he was washed with an extreme cold sensation._

Dean gasped as he woke from his fitful dream. He blinked repeatedly and was surprised to find a man standing over him, a metal bucket in hand. As the figure came into focus, Dean realised he was soaking wet. He shot an angry look towards the man.

"What the hell did you do that for, Bobby?"

"You were tossin' and turnin' something awful, but when you fell of the couch and still didn't wake, I thought I'd take matters into my own hands." After placing the bucket down, he turned around to smile at Dean, pleased with the effect he had got.

Dean breathed heavily as he got off the floor and sat on the couch he had fallen asleep on. Bobby handed him a towel to dry off with. As he wiped his face flashes of his dream danced in his mind. He shook his head, ridding himself of the images. _Not Sam, _he thought to himself, looking up to find Bobby staring at him again, arms folded.

"About Sam again?" Bobby questioned.

Dean looked away knowing that Bobby already knew the answer. Avoiding eye contact was Dean's subtle way of telling Bobby to drop the subject. The silence between them was becoming awkward as a low rumble tore from the drive-way. Dean looked up and out the window to see a cherry red '67 Mustang pull up next to the Impala. Bobby followed Dean's gaze and laughed at the sight of the car.

"Well I'll be damned." A broad smile fixed on his face as he walked to the front door to greet the visitor. _Who could it be to get that sort of reaction from Bobby?_ ,Dean thought.

There was an excited squeal as Bobby opened the door and was thrown back as the person bounded into a tight hug around him. Bobby laughed again while he steered the visitor into the living room. Dean swallowed as he took in the sight of a brunette woman. She was dressed in a white top with a summery skirt that hugged at her hips, her strappy heeled shoes giving her a height advantage over Bobby. She flicked her wavy hair out of her face as her eyes fell upon Dean. She glanced at Bobby, prompting him for an introduction.

Bobby nodded as he spoke "Charlie, this is Dean Winchester. Dean this is Ch-"

"Charlotte Visser" she cut in, holding out her hand.

"Nice to meet you." Dean replied automatically as he took her hand, shaking it gently.

Bobby noticed the look of interest on Dean's face and interrupted, placing a hand on Charlotte's shoulder. "Have a seat, darlin'." He gave Dean a warning glare as they sat down. "What's with the surprise visit?"

Charlotte smiled sweetly "Just in the neighbourhood and I thought I'd stop by."

Bobby raised an eyebrow, showing his disbelief at the woman's answer. "Really! How convenient." he said, his words full with sarcasm.

She giggled slightly as if she knew something they didn't "Can't a girl visit her favourite hunter without having a reason?"

"Not one like you." Bobby stated his face changing suddenly "You only come around when you want somthin' or have got bad news."

Her face lost its sweetness and became deadly serious. Her hazel green eyes stared at Bobby with unwavering intensity.

Bobby spoke cautiously "What's the real reason you're here?"

"There's no beating 'round the bush with you, now is there Bobby" Charlotte sighed.

She glanced at Dean before dropping her gaze to the floor. She stared at the carpet with deep concentration, as if there was a complex puzzle in front of her. "Him." She said, her head nodding slightly in Dean's direction. "I'm here for him."

Bobby opened his mouth to speak, but Dean got there first. "What?"

Charlotte looked straight into Dean's eyes, her gaze made him unusually uncomfortable. He felt as if she could see right through him, into his bare soul. Still, Dean held her gaze. She spoke carefully, as if tasting each word to see if it was right.

"I was sent here for you, Dean."

As Dean was about to speak, Bobby held up his hand, stopping any words escaping his mouth. He stared at Charlotte; confusion lined his face. "Charlie, darlin', I don't quite understand what your saying here. _Who_ sent you?"

Her eyes flicked momentarily to look at Bobby, then rested back on Dean. She took a deep breath as she spoke quietly "I was sent by_ Him_."

Her emphasis on the last word made Bobby's eyes roll up to look at the ceiling then back down at her. "You mean _Him_?" he questioned, gesturing upwards.

"Yep, the one and only"

At this point Dean could no longer contain himself, he stood up quickly and shook his head in disbelief. "You mean to say that _God_ has sent you to me. What the _hell_ for?"

"Well, Cas was a bit vague on the details bu-"

"Wait, wait, wait." Dean interrupted tilting his head towards Charlotte "Castiel is in on this!"

Charlotte laughed half-heartedly "Of course he is. He's God's little messenger now. The big guy won't let him out of his sight."

"Right." Dean nodded, contemplating her words "So what this got to do with me?"

She heaved a heavy sigh as she started to speak "It seems that _He_ thinks you are a worth while investment, so instead of getting his usual guardian thugs to stalk you, he chose me. Like I have nothing better to do than follow you around." The sarcasm was thick in her words, eyes never leaving Dean.

Bobby looked at Charlotte with confusion "Why you, Charlie? Why not use his usual guardians?"

"Castiel said, and I quote, "He wanted a more softer touch"." She raised an eyebrow as she emphasised Castiel's words. "As if he thought that a _woman_ would lead Dean on the _right_ path! Women are the main reason of his sin."

Dean opened his mouth to argue, but the truth in her words made him hold his tongue. Clearly she knew him better than he had first thought. He looked at Bobby who had risen and was currently pacing the room. Then the question formed in his head. A smile flicked onto his face.

"So does this mean you work for me? Like an angel-servent?"

By the nasty glare he received from both Bobby and Charlotte, he guessed the answer was no.


	3. Stuck

YAY! Chapther Three! Sorry it's been a while but I've been a bit busy, you know, living in the real world and all.

But it's time to dive back into my little 'Supernatural' world. Hope you enjoy and don't bag me about the chapter title. I was having a lame day. lol

Disclaimer: The boys are not mine. They belong to Kripke. Damn it!

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

**Chapter Three: Stuck**

***-*-*-***

_My darling_

A woman's voice floated softly in the air around him. He closed his eyes, straining his ears to listen to the familiar sound. The voice was unknown to him, yet he felt he had heard it a thousand times before.

_My darling_

It whispered again

_Sammy_

He opened his eyes as the voice trailed away. He stared blankly at the screen in front of him. He had been researching for hours, but was getting nowhere. Finding a job that he could do by himself got harder and harder everyday. Everything he looked at he kept thinking, _Dean would be good at that_ or _I would need Dean's help_ or _Dean would have fun killing that evil son of a bitch._

It had been months since he had last seen his brother and even though Sam Winchester was perfectly capable of hunting by himself, he was starting to miss Dean's company.

After a few weeks of easy haunting cases and the odd possession here and there, Sam was longing for a smart ass comment about what a 'geek' he is or the bad singing that went along with those classic rock anthems that Sam found himself listening to on the way to yet another hotel room. _Stop turning into Dean _he would tell himself as he switched off the radio.

But now, Sam was stuck. He had managed to throw Bobby and Dean off his scent, but he was getting restless doing the same routine hunts week after week. The hunts were just to keep himself occupied while he focused on getting better, getting rid of the demon blood, getting normal, or as normal as could be expected from a Winchester.

Sam turned off the laptop and headed for the shower. _Maybe the running water will take my mind off things_ he thought to himself as he pulled of his clothes leaving them in a neat pile on the floor. He turned on the water and hopped in, letting the warming liquid rush over his face.

A soft voice called for Sam, but the noise of the running left the whisper unheard.

*-*-*-*

They watched Dean as he paced the room. His face set with a look of deep concentration. The news was clearly getting to him. Every now and then he would pause and glance up at Charlotte, then resume his pacing. It was getting late and after a while Bobby stood up, irritated.

"Well, as fun as it is watching you walk the room," He growled, "I'm getting' hungry. Care to join me, Charlie?"

Charlotte looked from Dean to Bobby, smiling, "What we having?"

Dean stared at them as they got their coats and walked out the door. Only when the door closed did he realise how hungry he was. The door opened again and Bobby stood there looking at Dean.

"Are you coming, or aren't you eating tonight"

Dean laughed as he slid on his leather jacket, "Dude, I'm always eating."

*-*-*-*

The Mexican restaurant was abuzz with people eating and laughing. Charlotte watched with extreme interest as Dean murdered a taco. Bobby laughed as he saw the look on her face.

"Eats just like his Daddy, doesn't he Charlie" Bobby said

Dean looked up from his meal, glancing from Bobby to Charlotte "Wha!?" managed to escape his mouth "Ou new mi Aad!"

Charlotte forced back a laugh as she smiled at Dean.

"Yes, I did. He and my Dad were good friends. I also had the pleasure of meeting your little brother."

Dean finished what was in his mouth. "Sam?"

"Yes Sam. Unless you have another brother with scruffy hair and puppy dog eyes?"

Dean smiled. _Dumb question Dean_. "Was your Dad a hunter?"

This time Bobby laughed. "Her Daddy was one of the best hunters I ever met. Never missed a trick, that man."

He smiled at Charlotte, with kind eyes looking at her like a long lost daughter. She smiled back as their minds swam in old memories. The moment was becoming awkward, when a faint noise came from under the table. Charlotte duck under to bring up her handbag, and fished around inside it for her phone. She glanced at the caller ID then smiled up at Dean and Bobby.

"This is kinda important. You don't mind do you?"

Bobby shook his head, "Not at all, darlin'. Take the call."

She beamed at Bobby as she got up and answered her phone, walking outside onto the balcony. Dean watched her until she was out of earshot, then turned to Bobby, face riddled with confusion.

"How did she know Sam when I haven't met her before?"

"Remember when you were little and your Dad would take you on small training hunts."

Dean nodded, "He would leave Sam with you, because he was to young."

"Exactly, as much as I hated playing babysitter, I always agreed. Your Dad had a way of making me feel guilty if I said no. Well, sometimes, more than not, Sam would get annoying –"

"Tell me something I don't know." Dean smirked

Bobby shook his head, "Anyway, sometimes he would get so bad I wanted to kill him. Don't get me wrong, I love the boy, but the constant questioning! He wanted to know everything. So I had to call in the big guns. Charlie's dad, Nick, sometimes would leave her with me too, but unlike Sam she was quiet as a mouse. She would go of by herself, do her homework, clean up the house, bake cakes and cookies and sometimes help me around the caryard. So when I had Sam with me I would call Nick to see if Charlie wanted to come over and look after Sam. She never said no. She adored Sam and he would hang off her every word. It kept me sane while you and your Dad were gone."

Dean glanced over to Charlotte, who was talked animatedly into her phone. That's when Dean remembered what Sam had said after spending a weekend at Bobby's.

"Angel! That's who Sam was talking about. He said that he had played with an angel, I thought he was just being overimaginative, but he was talking about Charlotte, wasn't he?"

Bobby gave Dean a crooked smile "That was the nickname her father gave her, Sam heard it one day and forever called her Angel after that."

"I thought it was so cute."

Dean and Bobby looked up to see Charlotte standing at the table, they hadn't even noticed that she had finished her call. She took her seat and put her phone back in her bag. She looked from Bobby to Dean.

"Having a nice chat about me, were you?" she said flatly

Dean opened his mouth to speak but was cut off by Charlotte laughing.

"Jeez, Dean. Do you always take people so seriously? Stress less, handsome. I knew you'd ask Bobby about me." She smiled sweetly and took a sip of her drink, "Now that I'm back, is there anything else you would like to know?"

They way she looked at him made Dean feel warm and safe, like he was able to tell her anything and everything and she would not tell a soul. He smiled back, unable to resist the joyful vibe she gave off.

" I take it that you got some good news, coz your in a much happier mood than before" Dean stated, leaning forward slightly.

"Yeah, I did," Charlotte studied Dean for a little before continuing "Was I really that bad that it's noticeable?" She glanced at Bobby quizzically. He nodded slowly as he took a swig of his beer.

"So.." Dean stared, not really knowing what he going to say, "This…This whole "guardian" thing. What......I mean......how-"

"How does it work? Is that what you want to know?

Dean nodded, relieved that she had picked up on what he was trying to say.

"Well, and mind you, they don't tell me everything, but the first thing you should know is what I am." She looked softly into Dean's eyes.

"What you are? What does that mean?"

"Well, let's just say that 'angel' isn't just a nickname."

Dean stared at her with his mouth open, "Wait….your….a…a.."

Charlotte smiled knowingly.

"Yes, Dean. I'm an angel."


	4. Truth Be Your Downfall

Hi guys, I know it has been ages since my last chapter and I am so sorry. But you all know how life is, CRAZY! hehe.  
Hope you like this one, I know I do. More Sam in this one for all you Sammy girls. It's not a long chapter, but the next one will be.

* * *

**Truth Be Your Downfall**

Sam let out a sigh of frustration as he drove out of Mr and Mrs Wellarc's driveway in a rental Toyota. He loosened his tie staring blankly at the road while driving back to the motel room. This investigation was nowhere, and the Wellarc's were not being very helpful in finding their missing daughter. They were reluctant to answer any of his questions.

"Maybe I shoulda told them the truth?" Sam mused.

_Dude, are you high? How do you tell two people that their only child was possibly taken by some jinn?_

"Damn it!"

Sam hit the steering wheel in anger. He wished that Dean was sitting next to him, telling Sam how much of a girl he is being and that he should chill. He wished more than anything that he could call him and tell him where he was.

Dean would be able to get the family to speak, he'd give them that whole "Your daughter is going to die a brutal and bloody death if you don't help us" speech and they would do whatever he said. He had that intense way of looking at people to tell them that he wasn't messing around.

Sam flicked on the radio, trying to distract his thoughts. Out the corner of his eye he saw a young girl lying on the side of the road. She was still. Dead still. He quickly pulled over, jumping out of the car and rushing to her side.

"Hello?" Sam forced out of his mouth "Can you hear me?"

The girl was covered in blood, her eyes grey and distant. She couldn't have been more than 14. He checked her for a pulse. Nothing. Not even the faintest sign of life.

"Damn, as if this day couldn't get any worse"

Sam got out his phone, ready to ring for an ambulance. The girl's hand suddenly shot up, grabbing hold of Sam's neck. He gasped as her grip got tighter. Man, she was strong for a dead girl. Sam looked at her once grey eyes only to find he was staring into jet black orbs. A devilish smile flickered onto the girl's face.

"Hiya, Sam. I've been _dying_ to meet you."

*-*-*-*

Dean stared at Charlotte blankly. His mind reeling from the words that she had spoken. _Come on, an angel? Seriously? _He thought to himself.

"Dean? You okay in there, boy?" Bobby asked, tapping on the top of Dean's head.

"Yeah," Dean breathed out heavily as he woke himself for his musings "It's just…Charlotte doesn't seem the '_angel_' type, you know." He looked to Charlotte, her eyes soft and understanding.

"Look, you're right. I am sooo not the '_angel_' type, but that's because I'm not pure angel" she thought carefully about her words "I'm kinda a.....half-angel."

"Half-angel? What the hell is that?"

"Well, I'm human, just like you, but when I was a baby, God sent down his best and brightest to each bless me with an angelic gift. It's the same thing that happens to prophets, only this time with a whole lot more angels."

She paused, waiting for Dean to think about her words before she moved on. Dean was silent, looking down at the table while processing his thoughts, then he looked up ready to speak, but Charlotte already knew what he was going to say.

"Why?" she said, one eyebrow raised, "Well, I have been told it was because he had been practicing with prophets for a _long_ time, seeing whether humans could handle angelic powers. He came to the conclusion that they could, depending on the person. So he picked me to be endowed with all these 'powers' because I have a strong mind set and he knew that I would be raised a hunter. I _was_ the perfect test subject. I _am_ his perfect test subject."

Dean laughed uncertainly "Well, that explains how you know Castiel."

Charlotte looked at Dean thoughtfully, she watched him as he took a swig of his beer. Then he stood up all of a sudden.

"Well, I think it's time to head off," Dean said "I'm a little over this cheesy restaurant"

Charlotte stood up quickly "What?" She glanced from Dean to Bobby "No more questions? Aren't you curious?"

Dean flashed her a smile "I'm damn curious, but nobody said anything about you not coming with us, sweetheart" he said matter-of-factly as he grabbed his jacket and walked toward the exit.

Charlotte looked to Bobby for some explanation, but he just shrugged and followed Dean.

*-*-*-*

Sam opened his eyes slowly, to reveal a dark room.

He heard something groan on the other side of the room. As his eyes came into focus, he noticed the groan had belonged to a young woman. She was slumped in the corner, arms chained to the wall, her long blonde hair hung limp over her face.

"Hel-lo?" Sam croaked, his throat dry and sore. "Hello?"

The girl stirred, and through her mop of hair Sam saw two brilliant blue eyes flick open. She rolled her head to the side to get a better look at Sam.

"Who are you?" she mumbled, her voice riddled with fear.

Sam spoke softly "My name is Sam, Sam Winchester. I'm not going to hurt you"

He went to move closer, then he realised that he too, was chained to the wall. Sam looked back over to the girl, who had now lifted her head up, hair no longer in her face. Her beautiful blue eyes gazed deeply into Sam's, his heart sunk at the fear and torment in them.

"What's your name?

The girl smiled slightly. His eyes were kind and there was something in this guy's voice that made her feel warm and safe. Something she hadn't felt for weeks.

"Juliet" she muttered.

"It's nice to meet you Juliet, even under these circumstances" he gestured to the room. Sam smiled sweetly at her, making her blush.

She sat up straight, giving Sam the chance to look at her properly. As he glanced over her looking for any wounds, he noticed how pretty she was. Her blonde hair framed her delicate face and big blue eyes perfectly. A light purple dress, now torn and dirty hung loose against her thin frame. He could tell she had been in here for weeks, yet she still looked gorgeous.

"Don't worry, Juliet," Sam said certainly, "I'm going to get us out of here"

A noise came from the rusted door on the other side of the room. Suddenly the door swang open with a loud BANG!

A big lug of a man came into view, he walked into the room and stopped just in front of Sam. He lifted his hand and stuck Sam's face. A voice suddenly spoke as a woman stepped from behind the great mountain of a man.

"Now, now, Cooper. We don't want to hurt Sammy _too_ much."

Her eyes flickered with black, making Sam growl with anger. She sauntered towards him, heels clicking against the dirty concrete, stopping to kneel in front of him. Her hand brushed gently against his face, he flinched away from it as if her touch had stung him.

"Aww, doesn't little Sammy, like that?"

"Don't call me Sammy." He mumbled.

A smile danced across her thin lips "Oh, that's right. Only your beloved Dean can get away with calling you that"

Sam twitched at the mention of his brother's name. The woman noticed his slight movement. She giggled maliciously as she stood up and moved over to Juliet. Juliet made a small frightened noise, pulling against her chains trying to get away from the woman. The closer she got the more Juliet thrashed and whimpered. Sam didn't know what the woman had done to her to make her react like that, but he swore to himself that he wouldn't let that bitch hurt Juliet anymore.

"Hey! Leave her alone, you demonic bitch!"

Sam rasped, his throat still sore and dry, but it got her attention. Juliet's eyes widened, this was clearly something Sam shouldn't have said. The woman spun around; glare set on her pale face. _Boy, if looks could kill, _Sam thought to himself. The woman stepped towards him, wagging a finger at him.

"Tut, tut, _Sammy_. You shouldn't use such language. If you do again, I might have to get Cooper to teach you some manners"

A broad grin spread across Cooper's face. The idea of "teaching" Sam some manners, pleased him greatly. Sam scoffed at her.

"Oh yeah," Sam said cockily "Bring it on!"

The woman glowered at him, then nodded to Cooper. Cooper stomped forward, his evil smirk turning into a soft chuckle.

"This should be fun." Cooper said as he cracked his knuckles.

The woman turned on her heel making her way to the door. Before leaving she looked to Juliet and said in a sickeningly sweet voice,

"Enjoy the show"

* * *

OMG! What a bitch. Hope Cooper isn't _too _harsh on our Sammy.  
Now to here what you have to say......  
Go on, press that little button and give me some feed back.

You know you want to!


	5. Having A Bone Crackin' Good Time

**Now my dear readers, it has been some time since my last chapter. And for this, I am sorry.**  
**So let's recap, shall we?**  
**Well, Dean had just found out Charlotte was half angel and poor wittle Sammy was about to get his ass kicked by some demon thug.**  
**You remember now?**  
**Good.**

**As much as you might want to know if Sam is alright, I'm gonna leave you hanging for awhile. Sorry, but that's just the way it goes.**  
**Let's see how Charlie, Dean and Bobby are doing.**

Disclaimer: Not mine, I just have fun with 'em.

* * *

**Having A Bone Crackin' Good Time**

It had been a couple of hours since they had got back from the restaurant. Dean was silent the whole way home and it wasn't until he was sitting comfortably with a beer that he spoke.

He questioned Charlotte about the fine details of being a "half-angel", while Bobby leafed through different books looking for lore that supported what she had said. But Dean didn't need a book to tell him that she wasn't lying. Just the look she gave him, was enough.

Now the trio sat casually talking about the roughest hunts they had been on. Charlotte showed them a large scar across her stomache she had received from a werewolf.

"I couldn't move and I kept thinking _Damn it, Charlie. Your gonna die because you packed normal bullets instead of silver! What a rookie mistake!"_

Dean laughed as she threw her hands up dramatically, a frustrated groan escaping her lips.

"One of the stupidest things I ever did" she sighed "Lucky for me, my brother had my back and came to my rescue"

"Wait, you have a brother?" Dean interjected

"Yep, Tristan. His older and is fiercely protective of me. Which can be helpful, but God, it's annoying."

Dean smiled, "It's what older brothers do, protect their siblings. It's our job."

Charlotte nodded, knowing that Dean would do the same things for Sam as Tristan did for her.  
It was at this moment she asked a question that had been playing on her mind for some time.

"So….where _is_ Sam?

Silence violently filled the space between the three hunters. The happiness fell from Dean's face, now replaced with a painful sadness.

"Cas didn't tell you?" He asked

Charlotte shook her head softly, a bad feeling forming in the pit of her stomache.

Dean looked away, avoiding eye contact from both her and Bobby.

"He left" He stated simply.

"Oh," Charlotte began "I didn't…."

Her voice trailed off as Dean stood up, jaw set, showing no emotion. He was hiding something from her, something painful. She watched him as he left the room.

"Dean, I'm sorry" calling after him.

She motioned to follow, but Bobby grabbed her arm, stopping her.

"Let him deal with it himself," Bobby said "if you make him talk about it he'll just get all sulky, trust me."

Charlotte nodded, leaning back in her seat. Although she heeded Bobby's warning, it took all of her being to not go after Dean.

* * *

_~THUD~_

The sound of Cooper's boot hitting Sam echoed throughout the small room.  
Sam regretted his smart-ass remark, but he wasn't going to let Cooper know that.  
"_Hold it together, Sam"_ a little voice inside him said  
"_You can't let the evil son-of-a-bitch know he is getting to ya"._

Sam closed his eyes.

_~THUD~_

He slumped against the wall, no way off defending himself.  
He just had to take it, all of it. All the agony, all the blood, all his fault.  
He took a shaky breath, holding back the tears that threatened to fall.

_~CRACK~_

Sam gasped, he swore all of his ribs were broken.  
Blood trickled down his face and spilled over his lips.  
"_Dude, you've been in worse shape, trust me"_ the voice said.  
He nodded in agreement.

"You want more?" Cooper laughed maliciously, misreading Sam's nod.

Sam took a deep breath, bracing himself for Cooper's boot coming into contact with his torso. He waited, but nothing happened.

Slowly, Sam opened his eyes. Cooper was standing very still, looking toward the door.  
_"What's he waiting for?"_ Sam thought.

Suddenly, the door creaked open. She was back.

"Cooper," she spat "This will have to wait; Boss want's us to go get another one."

Cooper nodded and left the room. The woman smirked at Sam before closing the door again.

Sam exhaled, leaning back against the wall. His breath hitched as a bolt of pain shot though his body.  
It was then that he heard the whimper. He looked over to see Juliet sobbing violently.

"Shh, It's okay" Sam said trying to sooth her "They're gone, they can't hurt you"

"No, but they hurt you"

Her piercing blue eyes flicked up to look at Sam. The sorrow that they held added to the immense pain that riddled his body.

Tears rolled down her delicate face, spilling onto the floor.

"They hurt you, because of me. It's my fault"

Sam's eyes widened as he gazed upon the broken soul in front of him. _She blames herself for what happened. _This thought broke Sam's heart.

"No, no. Juliet, that wasn't your fault. It was me and my mouth."

"B-but if you hadn't defended me, they wouldn't h-have hurt you" Juliet stammered through her sobs.

"They would of hurt you instead!" Sam blurted "I've taken worse beatings, for much less. Trust me, this happens more than you would think. I couldn't sit by and watch them hurt you."

Juliet's sobs faded. Her eyes welled with tears, not of hurt, but of thanks. She could not believe that someone would do that for her. Put their life on the line, instead of hers.  
She had dodged a beating, because of this sweet, kind-hearted man.

Sam smiled softly at her "We will be alright. I won't let them hurt you. I promise"

A ghost of a smile played across Juliet's face mixing with her tears, her eyes never once leaving Sam.

* * *

Dean walked through the darkened car yard. He needed the silence to think things over, to stop his mind going a million miles an hour.

He kicked the dirt beneath his boots as he trudged toward the Impala.  
Sighing, he lent carefully against his beloved car. He admired the Mustang next to him.  
The red paint glistening in the moonlight.

"_She's beautiful" _Dean thought to himself, as his eyes took in the machine.

His thoughts were broken by a sudden pain in his chest. Something was wrong, very wrong.  
The pain sizzled through him, his breathing becoming raspy.

"What the hell?" he gasped. The pain now unbearable.

Dean's knees suddenly gave way, but before he hit the ground the pain stopped.

As quickly as it had started, it had gone away.

Knelling in the dirt, Dean looked around puzzled. His eyes searched his body and surrounding area for the cause of the sudden agony.

Nothing. Nothing at all.

"What the fuck?"

* * *

**What the fuck indeed, Dean.  
Hope that you enjoyed reading that chapter as much as I had writing it.**

Don't be shy, press that little ol' button and tell me what you think.  
(I need the feedback) :D


End file.
